Potential Telemarketing Scam

SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) has received information about a possible telemarketing scam and is warning the public not to share any personal information on the telephone with unsolicited callers.

Concerned citizens have been calling the CDE to ask whether the state agency has called their homes asking about the Preliminary SAT® (PSAT), a standardized test, which gives students firsthand practice for the college entrance examination. The caller asks for personal information, credit card numbers, and more. The caller ID seems to show the call is coming from the State of California or the main telephone line of the CDE. These calls do not come from the CDE.

The CDE has contacted the proper law enforcement agencies to look into this potential scam. If you receive such a call, do not answer any questions and hang up immediately. You may also file a complaint online directly with the Federal Trade Commission using the FTC Complaint Assistant, also in Spanish.